A special forces dog who was trained to fight for Russia has swapped sides after Vladimir Putin's troops abandoned him in an awful state.
Three-year-old Max was found starving and close to death by Ukrainian soldiers, who nursed him back to health and trained him to understand their commands.
The Belgian Malinois is now sniffing out unexploded mines alongside soldiers fighting for their country.
A member of the National Guard of Ukraine, named Dmitry, told Daily Star : "From now on, Max will serve on the right side, defending Ukraine and nibbling Russian asses."
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His comrade added: "Max has become a real favourite with the guards. We can't understand why the Russians would leave behind such as lovely animal.
"Ukrainians love dogs, they regard them as part of the family."
Max belonged to Kremlin troops who had captured a village in the Mykolaiv region close to the Black Sea.
The young dog was found wearing a camouflage collar issued by Russians to their military hounds.
Max was left homeless but survived by eating rotting food he found on the front line.
A British special forces soldier added: "Malinois are the same breed used by the SAS and the SBS. They are brave, highly intelligent and athletic animals.
"They are tremendously loyal but Max has obviously been convinced that the Ukrainians are now his new masters.
"I'm very surprised that one of these animals was actually abandoned by the Russians because they are a highly-prized asset.
"Also the bond between a dog and its handler is very strong. It would be like leaving a member of your family behind."
Max is not the only pooch working immensely hard to protect Ukrainians.
Patron the Jack Russell has been awarded a medal for his bravery after sniffing out more than 200 landmines in Ukraine.
The tiny dog was formally recognised by President Volodoymyr Zelensky with a military honour earlier this month.
The announcement was made during a news conference in Kyiv with Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau.
Mr Zelensky said: "Today, I want to award those Ukrainian heroes who are already clearing our land of mines.
"And together with our heroes, a wonderful little sapper – Patron – who helps not only to neutralize explosives, but also to teach our children the necessary safety rules in areas where there is a mine threat."
The two-year-old pup has become something of a national hero and a symbol of Ukraine's resistance against Russia.
He was dubbed a "good boy" by Ukraine's State of Emergency Services (SES) for helping pyrotechnicians in the Chernihiv region clear the area of "Russian gifts".
And up until he received his reward, Patron did it all in exchange for slices of cheese and belly rubs.
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